By invitation of the Mayor's office, 36 photos were unveiled at Houston City Hall recently as part of a new HomeAid Houston community outreach project called "Picture This." A reception was held at City Hall to mark the occasion and to thank the team that made the exhibit possible.

HomeAid Houston, a 501(c)3 charity of the Greater Houston Builders Association, is underwriting this project that puts disposable cameras in the hands of individuals facing homelessness and deep poverty.

"The goal of Picture This is to educate the public on what homelessness looks like through the eyes of the homeless," said Ron Martin, president of HomeAid Houston.

"Dozens of homeless individuals were given disposable cameras for five days. Their pictures are impactful as they show intimate moments in their daily lives," he said. "They capture street life, relationships, and some very moving and sometimes startling images and situations. They show homelessness is not just a statistic."

A second display is being developed that captures the daily lives of Houston's homeless veterans. The De George at Union Station and United States Veterans Initiative are working with Picture This by giving access to their residents or, in some cases, veterans who still are living on the street.